Overview

The storyline is a mixture of the Wolverine back-story, which is explained in the film, and additional story material created by Raven Software. Lead developer Dan Vondrak indicates that roughly 90% of the movie storyline is in the game. However, that content comprises less than half of the overall video game story, with the balance being exclusive to the game. The primary storyline is Wolverine's origin, hence the title. In the game, Wolverine experiences the events leading up to, and immediately following, his recruitment to Col. William Stryker's Weapon X program.

Raven Software didn't hide the fact that you're playing as one of the biggest bad-asses in the Marvel Universe in X-Men Origins, as evidenced by the opening cinematic, in which Wolverine stabs his claws straight through a wall and into the skull of an enemy on the other side. He repeats this brutal impalement on other enemies unfortunate enough to stand in his way. When the player controls Wolverine, he or she can utilize the aforementioned impalement attack, or many others, by attacking with a light or heavy attacked mapped to two different buttons. While the combat foundations are simple, basic attacks can be linked together in devastating combos.

Gameplay

A man on a mission.

Wolverine's basic combat is built on a scheme of light punches, heavy punches, and grabs. Mixing these provides unique combos, but doesn't require the player to learn long strings of combos. This allows Wolverine to play fast and loose with group combat situations, as well as allowing for tighter control over 1:1 encounters.

Grabbing an enemy allows Wolverine a variety of violent opportunities. He may attack the enemy with a variety of light attacks. He may perform an instant kill with the heavy attack. He may, also, throw enemies. Contextual environments provide Wolverine with any number of things to impale his foes upon. On the flip side, he may also be impaled on these same objects and will have to pull himself off with a quick time event.

A lock on mechanic opens up three additional movement/attack options. Wolverine can dash at enemies to close the distance and attack, he can dodge, and he can, most dramatically, leap long distances to plunge his claws into an enemies chest. These three movements work to provide Wolverine with additional attack options, as well as maintaining the momentum of a fight. Dashing and dodging may also be performed without being locked on to an enemy.

Origins also features a level-up system. This manifests in two seperate systems: Character Traits and Reflexes. Character Traits can be purchased using skill points the player is awarded after leveling up Wolverine (which occurs after the player collects enough experience points), Traits include extra damage to all enemies, an increase in the amount of health Wolverine has, an increase in the amount of Rage Wolverine can hold, and various perks to Rage attacks. Reflexes increase the amount of damage Wolverine does to specific enemy types. Reflexes are increased by fighting the respective enemy types.

There are also quicktime events, one of which involves Wolverine mounting and destroying a helicopter. In addition to the health bar in the game, you see actual damage to Wolverine's body. Everything from bullet holes, cuts, bruises, exposed organs and even bones, are apparent. This damage is healed in real-time. As with titles that inspired Origins, such as God of War and Devil May Cry, the game will also feature a large amount of blood and gore.

Training Room

This can't end well.

For those that pre-ordered the game, there will be a special bit of downloadable content called the Dismemberment room where you will be able to practice fighting various enemies from the game. The room will most likely be available for download for a small cost for those that didn't pre-order the game.

Special Abilities

Wolverine also has special abilities like Feral Sense, which allows him to locate hidden foes, or a whirlwind attack that destroy anyone in the radius of his claws. He also has his trademark healing ability. As Wolverine gets shot and beat up, it will show up on his body with gashes and blood, which are eventually expunged by his healing ability, but after getting too beat up, Wolverine's 'vital organs' are on show, being his only weakness.

Plot

The game starts with a prologue that shows Wolverine hunting and being hunted by a group of soldiers in a bleak urban setting. Wolverine's costume is shown to be similar to the costume in the recent X-Men films which indicate the game may take place later in the time line. As he is fighting the soldiers, his memories drift back to the past when he was a part of Team X, a group of mutants that worked for the US military.

The flashbacks show Wolverine fighting soldiers in Africa while he was a part of Team X and the flashbacks chronicle the events that lead Wolverine to leave Team X for moral reasons as he does not want to hurt innocent people. Three years later, the game shows that Wolverine has settled in Canada with his girlfriend Kayla Silverfox. While in Canada, Wolverine's brother Victor Creed attacks Wolverine in a local bar. Creed defeats Wolverine, breaks his bone claws and knocks Wolverine unconscious. Logan wakes up and finds his girlfriend dead. Col. William Stryker, who lead Team X, then approaches Wolverine and offers him a chance to get revenge against Creed by signing up for a prototype weapons program named Weapon X. To get his revenge, Wolverine is bonded to adamantium, a virtually indestructible metal processed from meteorite deposits which replace his broken bone claws. Nearing the end of the process, Wolverine overhears Stryker requesting that Wolverine's memory be erased. This enrages Wolverine who breaks out of the lab and kills many of Stryker's soldiers including Agent Zero, a former member of Team X.

Unlockables

From the start menu, players can select to play one of several "bonus" fights against other versions of Wolverine. These fights are made accessible by collecting a pair of figurines from various hidden locations within the main game. When players have collected a matching pair, they will unlock the chance to fight a new Wolverine. If players are victorious, they will unlock a new costume (that of the vanquished Wolverine) which they may elect to wear during the main game. Though the new costumes perform much like the in-game clothing, they will not be rendered in all of the cut-scenes.

Development

Raven Software developed this video game based on the film of the same name, which Activision Blizzard has published. Marc Guggenheim wrote the script. Raven Software was originally working on a different Wolverine title before being called on to make this game.

Easter Egg Achievements

There are three achievements spread throughout the game worth 15 points each which pay homage to other properties.

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